Inside a swoon-worthy Skyecroft home with a calm, tailored look—and a chic planning room

Interior designer Traci Zeller says working with Kimberly Borans and her husband, Peter, was a dream—from designing a swoon-worthy planning room to a handsome hangout spot.

The Borans moved from Boston to Charlotte permanently about a year ago and when building their Skyecroft home, they knew exactly what they wanted. “There are so many stunning designers in the South, but I don’t want pink and green and blue in my living room,” says Kimberly Borans, laughing. “It’s not our style—we’re definitely more tan, gray, muted.”

Zeller, alongside architect Robert T. Foster and builder New Tradition Homes, made sure their beige-based pallet was anything but blase.

“I work in a range of styles of course, but I do have a signature of things classic and chic, and Kim does, too, I think,” Traci says. “She wanted a calm environment, a tailored look. She loves antiques and things that are inherently beautiful.”

Before Zeller was brought on board, Borans had already picked out marble countertops for two rooms in the house—Superior White in the kitchen and Statuarietto Extra in the master bath.

The kitchen’s clean lines and colors set the tone for the rest of the house, opening up to the breakfast nook, planning room, and living room.

To give the brand new home a timeless feel, Zeller used used a French antique chandelier that Borans brought from Boston to hang over the breakfast room table.

The planning room, also off of the kitchen, is accented with an antique sliding door made from two oversized French estate shutters Borans thrifted in Vermont. The room also includes a gift wrapping station, where beautiful paperie is bundled in a basket. Files, craft supplies, and more are hidden behind thoughtfully installed cabinetry.

Zeller says working without color can be a challenge, so she used patterns and textures to create an “interesting and layered and beautiful” look. The floral Brunschwig & Fils drapery in the living room is one of Zellers favorite details and was chosen to anchor the living space with its full-range of neutral colors.

The living room also features bookcases peppered with antiques, a stone-trimmed fireplace and warm fabrics throughout.

Borans’ husband, who owns Advanced Medical Strategies, needed an office, too. He wanted something simple, so they added windows for more natural light and 17-foot ceilings to brighten the masculine space.

Walk upstairs and you’re greeted with a handsome hangout spot—a space for Lucas, the Borans’ 9-year-old-son. The room, which is accented in muted, dark colors, is mature and purposefully designed to fit the rest of the house. Zeller incorporated a bit of whimsy and childlike charm with large propaganda-style posters for old-school arcade games like Donkey Kong, a cocktail-turned-game table, and an arcade game machine.

“I’m also crazy for the abstract camouflage drapery and shams in their son’s room,” Zeller says. “I had originally selected it for the playroom, but it was such a hit with Lucas that we ended up using it in his room.”